


My Sweetest Downfall (I Loved You First)

by kikitheslayer



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, F/M, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Texting, guess who runs which
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-13
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-05-13 17:59:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5711794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kikitheslayer/pseuds/kikitheslayer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Both businesses were owned and operated by judgemental women in their early thirties. However, despite their similarities, Gina Linetti and Rosa Diaz had never met. And that wouldn’t change until a grey, drizzly day in early March.</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Suppose I Never Ever Met You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my mission to write a Ginarosa fic for every fanfic trope. You guys can expect a soulmate AU at some point.

You can find everything in New York City. 

If you look closely enough, that includes the intersecting streets of Peretti and Beatriz. Nestled in a small corner of Brooklyn, these streets are now home to the greatest love story ever tweeted about by Gina Linetti (a woman who once live-tweeted a production of Romeo and Juliet, despite explicit signs not to). 

At the time of this story, however, all they had to offer was two very different businesses. On one side of the street was a short, unassuming building of red brick: a flower shop. Directly across from it was an out-there tattoo parlor where hipsters and grandmas gathered in equal measure.

Both businesses were owned and operated by judgemental women in their early thirties. However, despite their similarities, Gina Linetti and Rosa Diaz had never met. And that wouldn’t change until a grey, drizzly day in early March.

\--

Gina jammed her hands in the pockets of her yellow raincoat as she sidled across the street toward Miriam. She actually knew very little about the shop -- she would barely know the name if it wasn’t written on the long glass window in chipped green paint -- but she had been hearing things about it since the shop had changed locations three months ago.

It was supposed to be amazing; the flowers were rumored to be the best in Brooklyn. Gina considered herself a bit of an amateur botanist, so she was amazed it had taken her so long to make the trip.

Gina pulled open the door and stepped inside, tugging off her hood and shaking out her hair as she did so. It was lunch hour, and there was a short line in front of the counter. She found a place to stand in the back and carefully inspected the shop.

She instantly understood the hype. It really was beautiful -- color burst from every facet, seeming to almost radiate off of dozens of flowers and plants she had never seen before. A delicate, floral fragrance hung in the air.

And the woman behind the counter? Well, as soon as Gina found out her name, she was going to get a new tattoo. She was gorgeous. Her hair was a mass of black waves, her skin was flawless, and she was undoubtedly the most powerful person in the room. In any room. 

Something about her was different. She didn’t look out of place, exactly, but she also didn’t look at all like Gina had expected. She was wearing a leather jacket over a red top, and not a hint of a smile crossed her lips, even as she made a sale.

It made Gina want to see what the woman’s face would look like lit up with a smile. It made Gina want to be the reason. Most of all, it made her feel like she could spend the rest of her life watching the other woman frown.

Gina sighed to herself. The tales of the flower shop’s accomplishments had come side-by-side with stories of the owner’s floral prowess, as well as her stormy demeanor. She made a correction in her head: she was not an amateur botanist, she was just gay.

Terry Jeffords was opening a frozen yogurt place here next month. If Gina didn’t want her heart to give out, she might have to relocate completely.

The crowd slowly thinned, and Gina remained in the back of the shop, scrolling through pictures of tattoos by other artists on her tumblr. She wished she could have leaned against a wall all disaffected-like, but unfortunately there didn’t seem to be any space that wasn’t jam-packed with plants. She mentally high-fived Hot Leather Jacket Woman for her work ethic, while making a note to slip a comment card into the tip jar.

The last customer left the shop. Flower Babe turned and knelt under the counter.

By the time she straightened up, holding a rag and a bottle of cleaning fluid, Gina was leaning into her space. “How can I help you?” she asked, deadpan.

Gina shot her a dazzling smile. “I’m Gina.” She straightened and pointed with a thumb toward the front of the shop. “I run Babylon across the street.”

Gina’s Future Wife, Goddess Willing looked down and started polishing the counter. “Rosa Diaz." Before Gina could even open her mouth, she added, “Make a rose joke and you're banned from the premises.”

Gina ignored the comment, instead straightening and extending a hand. “The pleasure’s mine.”

Rosa gave her a surprisingly firm handshake for someone who looked like they’d rather be doing literally anything else. “I’m sure.” She was quiet for a moment before she glanced up and asked, “You want to buy something?”

Gina looked around. “Dealer’s choice?”

Rosa set down the rag and walked into the main part of the shop. She scanned the walls for a moment before she selected a small beige pot with a purple flower. “This one. Cheap. Pretty. Take care of it or I hunt you down.”

Gina nodded, laughing, and reached into her purse. She pulled out a credit card. As an afterthought, she handed Rosa two business cards as well. “One is mine,” she explained, “the other is for my psychic.”

Rosa began the check-out process. “Is this some kind of weird religious thing? Have I accepted veganism as my Lord and Saviour?”

Gina shrugged. “If you want to deny the spirits, that’s your right as a living, breathing person. I assume.” She paused. “Actually, she could just use some business. And you look like you could use someone telling you’re not going to die a horrible death. I’m a matchmaker.”

As she took the plant and turned away, Gina swore she saw a shadow of a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try and finish this. I promise. Expect Peraltiago later on.
> 
> Title from "Samson" by Regina Spektor.
> 
> Chapter title from "Fidelity" by Regina Spektor.


	2. Got Yourself Another Hour, And You Gave Half of It to Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think my plan right now it to have the first half from Gina's perspective, and the last half from Rosa's.

“You should get a tattoo,” Gina commented. The shop was deserted again, and she was leaning over the counter with her head placed on her palm, so that she was looking up at Rosa through thick lashes. “You seem the type.” (Never mind that Gina knew firsthand that there was no “type.” What Gina did was art. And so was Rosa. The chance to put them together… Gina would have said anything.)

Rosa paused from where she was once again polishing the counter and shook her head. “Not my scene.” She tilted her head to the side and stared in such a way that Gina could tell she was checking out her own ink.

Gina was wearing a purple tank top and no sweater, so her right forearm was exposed. She stood up and turned to give Rosa a better view. 

It wasn’t Gina’s favorite tattoo -- after all, she hadn’t done it -- but she loved it all the same. Her shoulder was alight with color, fireworks bursting in a night sky, and the tattoo got darker as it went down, ending with three black, almost blurred-together silhouettes, seated together on a curved field of grass. It was like the whole scene took place at the top of the world.

“Who are they?” asked Rosa, showing rare interest.

Gina pointed to each figure in turn. “My mom, me, my friend Jake…” She paused and made a face. “And my step-brother Charles. He’s in the photo, and he was there when I was explaining the tattoo to Jake, so I couldn’t really edit him out.”

Rosa smirked. “See? If I got a tattoo, I’d probably end up with, like, a portrait of one of my dumb sisters. Too big of a commitment.”

Gina’s eyes lit up. “That’s half the fun. You think I’m proud of every tattoo I have?”

“I only see the one.”

“Well, maybe you’re not looking in the right places.”

Rosa smirked once again and looked down, diverting her attention back to the fairly spotless counter. “What would I even get? How do you decide something like that?”

Gina hummed, considering it for a long moment. “The obvious answer here is floral, but I’m not a fan.” She grinned. “Too cliche. I don’t take you for a quote sort of person, although I don’t hate them -- I’ve got Rihanna on my ass.”

She paused for a moment to see if Rosa looked interested. She did, a little.

“No,” said Gina slowly, “you should get a tattoo from me. My specialty is designs. I'd give you something completely unique.”

Rosa nodded appreciatively. Apparently Gina had passed the test.

Gina waved a hand. “Or like a flaming skull or something.”

Rosa smiled. She set down her cloth and rummaged under the counter. “I’ve got a plant for you.”

Gina raised an eyebrow. “Do tell.”

Rosa pulled out a small, green cactus with long, dangerous-looking white pricks. “You don’t water the other ones,” she explained. “Don’t lie. You just stick ‘em in your shop window. I see them on the way to work. Most of them are dead.”

“You got this just for me?”

“You still have to water it, it’ll just be harder to kill.”

Gina picked up the pot gingerly. She tried to make her smile look nonchalant. “Thanks, doll. I’ll take care of it. I like prickly things.” She reached into her purse. “How much?”

Rosa shook her head. “On the house.”

\--

Gina did as she promised. The cactus lived on the tray next to the main operating chair. He didn’t exactly soothe her first time patients, but his name was Desmond, and he was her closest friend and confidant.

She melted a little every time she saw him. Rosa had surprised her. 

Gina had never been a big fan of routine (it was why the sign on Babylon’s door said “business hours: whenever I feel like”), but she had been keeping a pretty strict one with Rosa. Every lunch rush, she walked in and stood at the back, pretending to be browsing through the flowers while really checking out Rosa. Once the store was empty, she walked up to the counter, bought whichever plant Rosa deemed best, and tried to keep her flirting walking that line of “sexy, subtle, but not too subtle, if you know what I mean.”

Ideally, Gina would have been being spontaneous. That was her preferred courting style. None of that “dinner and a movie” crap, her idea of a perfect first date was showing up at the other person’s house at three am with parfaits, fancy hats, and an elaborate faux murder mystery hunt set up around the city.

Rosa just didn’t seem like a woman who would be down with that. She seemed like she would turn and run if things got too serious, and shoot if things got too weird. Mainly, she seemed like she preferred to hang out alone with her plants to, well, anything. To Gina’s cursory (albeit slightly stalker-ish) observation, Rosa only really had one friend, an organized script supervisor named Amy. Amy alone was allowed entry to Rosa’s personal life. Gina just didn’t know if she was there yet.

So the idea that Rosa had reached out at all, even with only so much as a specially-picked plant, made Gina’s heart swell.

\--

It was about a week later when Rosa surprised her again.

Gina was hunched over the wrist of a costumer, a woman in her late forties. Gina's brow was furrowed, and she was holding her breath. She was so focused she didn’t even notice her at first.

It was the woman’s fourth tattoo, and she clearly knew the drill. If she was in pain, she wasn’t showing it. “Is that a friend of yours?” she asked calmly.

Gina paused and glanced up. She took a small, involuntary breath. Rosa was standing in the middle of the parlor, looking around and apparently trying to figure out what she made of the small space.

Gina didn’t blame her -- Babylon was pretty weird. On the outside, it was hip as could be. It was a square, black building, sunk halfway into the street so that you had to trot down a short flight of stairs to get to the door. On the left side and bleeding onto the front was a spray-painted mural of multi-colored geometric shapes. Gina’s door was even covered in overlapping band flyers.

Inside, though, was a different story. It was an open floor plan, and fluorescent lights hanging from the ceiling kept everything feeling light and open. It was mainly clean, except for the sketches of half-finished designs that were scattered over every surface. The floor was white linoleum tile. Almost everything was in pastels reminiscent of sixties kitchen appliances.

Aside from Gina and the woman, there were several others in the room, all lounging on couches and flipping through magazines or their phones. There was no sweeping statement that could be said about them. For every punk, there was at least one girly girl or middle-aged man in a beige suit and bifocals.

Gina heart fluttered. She lifted the hand not holding the needle. “Hey! Rosa!”

Rosa made her way over. Her arms were crossed. “Not really what I expected.”

Gina grinned. “Glad you get it.”

Rosa didn’t reply for a moment. “You kept it,” she said.

Gina followed her gaze. “Desmond? He’s great.”

“I’m… glad you liked it.” Suddenly awkward, Rosa swallowed. “I figured I’d come and see what all the hype’s about. And water your plants in the window. It’s painful.”

Gina nodded to a counter in the back of the shop with a sink. “Sure. There’re are some cups in the bottom cabinet there.”

She watched as Rosa found a mason jar, filled it, and carefully made her way to the window, where she knelt and watered every plant. She made two trips to refill the jar. She did it more delicately than Gina had ever seen her do anything.

The woman sat up and began to pull down her sleeve. “The session’s over, I take it?”

“Renee,” said Gina in a hushed voice, “you know no young, hot girl could ever steal me from you!”

Renee just raised her eyebrows.

“What am I saying? She’s amazing. Get out of here, Golden Girl.”

Renee winked and stood.

Rosa stood slightly awkwardly in the back until Gina was finally finished.

“So,” said Gina finally, walking toward her.

Rosa cleared her throat, throwing another glance behind her at the window. “I should go. But-- thanks. Water them yourself, okay?”

Gina licked her lips. “I will. Thanks.”

Rosa was almost out of the shop when she looked over her shoulder. “See you tomorrow? Amy’s coming over at lunch, and I could use someone to get me through her speech on how I’m bookkeeping wrong.”

Gina grinned and waved, wiggling her fingers. “See ya!”

She took a breath when she turned around. She glanced at an older man who was wearing a sweater vest and primly reading the New York Review of Books. 

“Oh, shut up, Kevin."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Expect Peraltiago in the next chapter!
> 
> Chapter title from "The Calculation" by Regina Spektor.
> 
> Also, Desmond is my actual cactus. So um. Fun facts about the author.


	3. Hey Remember That Time When My Favorite Colors Were Pink and Green?

It was another chilly day. The sky was grey, blanketed with heavy clouds, and rain pattered lightly on the pavement. Gina hurried across the street, swearing under her breath. She crossed one arm over her chest to hold her yellow plastic rain coat closed. Her hood was pulled up and her head bent down, and she leaned forward into the wind. Her steps tapped a beat on the wet pavement. 

She let out an exaggerated, high-pitched groan when she stepped onto the sidewalk in front of Miriam and saw the “closed” sign in the window. She leaned forward, cupping her hands over her eyes and peering through the glass and into the darkened room. Desperate, she tried tugging open the door a couple times, but it just rattled slightly in the doorframe.

She was about to turn around when she saw Amy hurrying across the inside of the shop and waving to her.

“What is wrong with you people?” asked Gina, brushing past the other woman and walking into the shop. She pulled off her hood and shook her jacket slightly, dislodging a wave of water droplets onto the floor of the shop.

“Sorry,” said Amy, sheepishly. “We’re in the back room.”

That actually got Gina’s attention. She had never been in the backroom. When she had lunch with Rosa, they ate at the counter so that Rosa could work while she ate. Of course, it didn’t surprise her that Amy micromanaged her into taking actual breaks.

Despite being small and nerdy, Amy was weirdly persuasive. Gina suspected it was magic, and that the secret lay somewhere in her colorful binders. No one that organized could be human.

Gina wasn’t very surprised by the shop’s second room, after all. It was fairly cramped, filled to the brim with plants, although a different selection from those in the front room. Not all of these plants were blooming. Not every pot showed signs of inhabitants, even. One thing she hadn’t anticipated, however, were the distinct hints of Amy. One entire wall was just a well-organized set of shelves holding everything from ribbon, to pens, to cellophane.

Rosa was seated at a grey fold-out table that took up most of the center of the room. “Gina,” she said, a few crumbs falling out of her open mouth.

“Hey,” said Gina, sitting down and draping her raincoat on the back of her chair.

Amy took the last chair, in front of her already-out lunch. She took a bite before turning to face Gina. “Gina,” she began, “You run the business across the street, don’t you?”

_Great, Small talk._

“Well, I don’t think that so much as that I run this street, and that building is that only one that acknowledges it.”

Rosa snorted.

Gina took a breath, smiled, and said to Amy, “So, you’re, like, a writer on that comedy show, right? I’ve got a friend who really likes it.”

“Well, we’re a comedy-drama, really, and I’m the script supervisor,” replied Amy. She looked down at her food. “And don’t even get me started.”

Rosa groaned. “Amy, if you make a decision and stop complaining, I will literally walk all the way down to the your set and dump Teddy myself.”

Gina leaned forward, propping her elbows on the table. _Finally, something interesting._ “Guy trouble?” she asked. “Spill.”

Amy shrugged, looking down at her food. “It’s... nothing. My boyfriend Teddy works for craft services, but I think I might have to dump him. It’s just--” She paused, and then said, almost pleading, “There’s no spark left, you know? But he’s a really, really great guy, and I really don’t want to hurt him.”

Gina nodded, humming lightly. “Look,” she said, “I’m not here to tell how to live your life. But if you stay with him I am going to drag you on every single one of my numerous social media accounts.”

“Okay, okay,” said Amy, putting up her hands. “But I’ve been with Teddy for over a year. He knows me. I don’t know how long it’ll take to build this with someone else again.”

Gina shook her head. “Oh, honey, you’re young, decently attractive, and…” She shook her head. “Successful? You sound like you are, but your job also sounds terrible every time you open your mouth, so.”

Amy just shrugged in response.

Gina plowed through. “Good. See? You’re way to young to have settled. At best, you’re wasting both of your time. Dump him, spend your free time becoming rich and famous, then pay someone to fall in love with you. That’s my plan, at least.”

Rosa smiled, then went quickly back to serious. She crossed her arms and nodded. “I agree. I’ve got one question though.”

Gina also crossed her arms, so that they were both staring down Amy. She said, “Shoot.”

“When you’re banging Teddy, do you ever wish you were jilling off? Because if you do, you need to dump him ASAP.”

“Rosa!” said Amy. She groaned and covered her eyes with her hands. “Why would I even come to you for advice? And Gina is a friend you _made yourself_ , so I don’t know what I was expecting.”

“Ooh!” said Gina, clapping her hands. “I want to hear about this. How did you two meet?” To Amy, she said, “Not to, like, insult you, or anything, but you two are very different, and not even in an “opposites attract” kinda way. Like, she’s so cool, and you’re so…” She paused and waved a hand. “What’s a stronger word for ‘dork?’”

Amy rolled her eyes but smiled. “High School. We were paired for this project in AP Literature, and Rosa was quite frankly not doing her work.” She sat up proudly. “Let’s just say I both became her friend and got an “A” on that assignment.”

Rosa groaned. “She wouldn’t leave me alone. She was relentless. Eventually I decided if I was her friend I could be mean to her and she wouldn’t tell the teacher.”

“Hurtful,” said Amy. “But, twelve years later, here we are.”

Gina digested this information. The truth was, she didn’t dislike Amy. Amy was the kind of girl Gina would have teased relentlessly in high school, while secretly texting her fashion and personality tips. There was something about her that made Gina want to see her succeed. Not to mention she was hilarious.

It also somehow made her like Rosa more. Like, Rosa didn’t give a shit what people thought about Amy or if her nerdiness reflected poorly on her. In fact, Gina got the impression that Rosa would beat up anyone who dared insult Amy. (Gina would definitely be sleeping with one eye open.)

There was a loud knocking on the door.

Rosa stood up. “Delivery guy. I’ll be back in a sec. Just let me go deal with this moron.”

Gina furrowed her brow. “Uh, that glass is pretty thin. Can he hear her from back here?”

Amy sighed. “Just go with the flow, sister.”

“Yikes.”

“Can’t pull it off?”

“Not with a crowbar, my friend.”

Amy sighed and bit her lip. “Look, I really don’t want to be rude, but is there… something going on between you? Because I don’t know if she’s mentioned it, but--”

“No,” said Gina quickly. “We are definitely not dating.”

Gina had lots of covert plans, but confiding in Amy wasn’t part of any of them.

Amy opened her mouth and then shut it. “...Right. I’m sorry. Just… you guys seem close, and she isn’t close to a lot of people, so…”

Gina nodded. “I got it. Don’t worry. We’re the complete opposite of blowing heart kiss emoji.”

Rosa returned after a short moment of tense silence, holding a cardboard box. “Wow. I didn’t think the two of you interacting with people could get more awkward, but here we are.”

Gina leaned back in her chair to watch Rosa as she dug out a place for the box. “It’s like an unstoppable force of cool meets an immovable object of nerd.”

“Whatever, weirdo,” said Rosa.

Gina grinned. “So, you were in AP Lit, huh?”

"Geez, Gina. A girl's gotta educate herself."

\--

Her plans did, however, involve confiding in Jake.

They were sitting on his coach, him lying down and her sitting upside down with her legs thrown across the back of the couch and her neck bent at a right angle. There was a steady flow or words pouring out of Gina’s mouth -- half complaining, half waxing lyrical.

“Hold on, hold on, hold on,” Jake said, putting up his hands as if mere signaling could make Gina stop. “You’re saying Rosa’s best friend is the script supervisor for Romantic Stylez?”

Gina groaned. “Do you even know what a script supervisor is, Jake?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“So it matters why?”

“Um, because Romantic Stylez is amazing? This girl works with Ray Holt every day.”

Gina rolled her eyes. Raymond Holt played Professor Jimes on the show, a role that had netted him an Emmy for best supporting actor. “I keep forgetting that dude is like your surrogate dad.”

“Can I please meet her?” he begged. “Please?”

“Jake!” she cried, trying to sit up gracefully but instead tipping over. “We’re supposed to be discussing my problems.”

“Exactly,” said Jake. “If you want me to listen to you pine over the girl who works across from you, you have to at least attempt to get me into pining territory with her friend. Plus, if we start dating, it’ll give you an in.”

“She a total geek _with_ a boyfriend.”

“Who you said she was dumping. Find out when she does, then just ask Rosa if you can set us up. That’s all I’m asking.”

“Okay. She’s a total nerd.”

“So? She’s friends with the girl you’re so in love with. And let’s not pretend you were never dating Charles.”

“I wasn’t dating Charles, I was _hooking up_ with Charles. And the difference, Jake, is that I felt immense shame afterwards!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No one in this AU has their normal job because I do what I want.
> 
> Chapter title from "That Time" by Regina Spektor.


	4. Come and Open Up Your Folding Chair Next to Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Their names are what they are in each other's phones. Also this is literally the shortest update EVER, but I'll try and get y'all a longer chapter soon.

Gina  
[hey did Amy ever end up dumping whats his face??]

Beauty Grace PunchYouInTheFace  
[why]

Gina  
[my friend jake wants to ask her out]  
[which is weird i know]  
[cuz he doesnt know her]  
[but hes a big fan of RS and hes into nerdy women who could kick his ass so]

Beauty Grace PunchYouInTheFace  
[She dumped him]  
[Well actually he got fired and they decided to “take a break”]

Gina  
[WOAH WHAT]  
[WHATS THE SCOOP DIAZ]  
[GIMMIE THE DRAMA]

Beauty Grace PunchYouInTheFace  
[“whats the scoop diaz” You just ruined it for yourself.]

Gina  
[why u like this]

Beauty Grace PunchYouInTheFace  
[You’re asking me that question]  
[Anyway]  
[Remember how Teddy is in craft services?]  
[Turns out pilsners = alcohol]  
[And alcohol + tv set = fired]

Gina  
[i’m actually cryign i love this man]

Beauty Grace PunchYouInTheFace  
[Aren’t you supposed to be defending your friend?]

Gina  
[right sorry. Hes suuuuper nice.]  
[hes a teacher]

Beauty Grace PunchYouInTheFace  
[I think that hits every one of Amy’s boxes]  
[look, she’s got this work thing day after tomorrow. I really don’t want to go, but it’ll be better if you guys are there. He’s a fan right?]

Gina  
[i think he felt a disturbance in the force and started crying just because of that invitation. text me the deets??]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from "Folding Chair" by Regina Spektor.


	5. And the History Books Forgot About Us, and the Bible Didn't Mention Us

Gina and Jake pulled in front of Miriam to find Rosa already waiting outside. She climbed into the front passenger seat Gina had reserved for her. “Hey.”

“Hey, Ro. This is Jake.”

He leaned forward from the backseat. He shook her hand and said, his grin unfaltering, “Hello. Jake Peralta. I teach over at Samberg Elementary School, and I definitely respect women.”

Rosa snorted. To Gina, she said, “I’m really not sure if I should trust your endorsement. If he sucks, I’m blaming you.”

Gina peered into the side mirror, pulling away. “He’s just very intimidated by you, it’s cool.” She glared at Jake. “Get it together, man!”

“I’m fine. Great. I’m awesome.”

Rosa gave him a once over. “He seems fine.” She paused. “Although... Is he really your friend? He seems a little…” She shrugged and smirked. “Normal.”

“That’s me,” said Jake, in the same strained, positive voice. “Normal McDonald. That’s… what the call me.”

Rosa said, “Stop trying so hard.”

“Yep,” he replied quickly, sitting back down.

Gina turned to Rosa. “So what is this thing exactly?” she asked.

Rosa shrugged. “Wrap party. Some episode milestone, I’m not sure.”

“75th,” Jake said.

“Seriously dude,” said Rosa, “Who are you?”

“What? I follow them on a couple forms of social media. Like, five maybe, I don’t know.”

\--

Amy was standing on the sidewalk outside the hotel where they were holding the party. She was wearing a sparkly blue dress. She waved as they pulled up.

The climbed out of the car and joined her. Rosa slapped Amy’s shoulder. “This is Jake,” she said. “As far as I can tell the only thing he’s obsessed with is your show, and Gina likes him.”

Gina smiled, wrapping an arm around Amy’s shoulder. “Please don’t blame me when he does not live up to the expectations you have of my friends.”

“Guys,” whispered Amy.

“Right,” said Rosa. They both stepped back.

Amy stepped forward, smiling and extending a hand. “Hi. Amy Santiago. Rosa said you’re a teacher?”

He nodded, shaking it. “Jake Peralta. And yeah, elementary school.”

She nodded, falling into step beside him and leading them all into the building. She had a serious expression on her face. “Let me ask you a question. As an educator, what is your official opinion on the Oxford Comma?”

He blinked several times. “Okay, I teach, like, third graders. You’re already assuming I’m smarter than I am.” He paused. “But Gina did give me notecards, so yes. I mean, we are in _America_ after all.”

Amy grinned, wrapping an arm around his. “What else did Gina teach you?”

“She taught me the post-it was invented by mistake. That’s a lie, right? I mean, people can't just _invent things_.”

Amy shook her head. “We have so much to talk about.”

They stepped into the ballroom. It was dimly lit, crowded with people, and there was pop music playing so loud they could feel the vibrations through their shoes.

Amy steered Jake into the crowd. Rosa smirked, and Gina threw him a wild thumbs-up.

Gina watched as the two disappeared. “He is going to crash and burn, isn’t he?”

Rosa laughed. “Ha, yeah. She’s super weird.”

Gina laughed, too. After a moment, she asked, “So… are we just stuck here now?”

Rosa rolled her eyes. “Amy always does this to me at these things.”

Gina licked her lips. “Want to screw with dumb celebrities?”

“God, yes.”

\--

Gina was great at messing with people. So when she invited the gorgeous and serious Rosa Diaz to play along, she was not expecting what she got. Rosa was _amazing_.

“I can’t believe you got James Franco’s number.”

“Everyone in this hemisphere has Franco’s number, Gina.” She paused. “Besides, Tiff the aspiring actress has it, not me.”

Gina giggled. After a minute, she said, “I’ve got a new idea.”

Rosa cocked her head and waited for Gina to explain.

“I’m going to walk up to that producer over there,” she said, nodding in the direction of a heavy-set, older man, “and if I can get him to offer me an audition for a reality show, you owe me a chit.”

“A chit?”

“You know, like a favor.” She waved away Rosa’s questioning look with a hand. “Relax, I know you hate owing people things. I’ll pick something tonight.”

Rosa stepped back, taking a sip of her drink. “Deal.”

Gina clapped her on the shoulder. “You’re about to see something amazing.”

The producer was Norm Scully. He was an idiot, but he hadn’t always been, and the dude was loaded. He was involved in at least three different lifestyle-based reality shows and one talent-based one. This was going be easy.

She walked up, grinning and swirling her drink. She offered a hand for him to kiss. He looked confused, so she left it there. “Gina Linetti,” she said. “I run a tattoo parlor in the city.” She laughed as if she had made a joke. She winked. “Of course, I’ve got other things in the works. I run a jewelry line, a fragrance line, a line of dogs specifically bred to accompany aging ballerinas as they re-enter society.”

He still didn’t look interested. Okay, she thought, plan b.

She placed a hand on her hip. “Okay, Norm, I know you’re the human equivalent an unseasoned hamburger, but I am trying to impress a girl, and unseasoned hamburger is exactly what I’m willing to offer you if you offer me an audition for _The Real Small-Business Owners of Brooklyn_.

He shook her limp hand vigorously, finally looking as though he had heard a word she had said. “I’ll expect you to deliver.”

“Of course,” she said.

She walked back to Rosa, shrugging. “Nothing to it.”

Rosa looked entertained. “That was amazing."

"I aim to please."

"Are you really going to buy that guy meat?”

Gina gave her an incredulous look. “Does it look like I have his contact information?”

Rosa laughed. “So, what do I owe you?”

“All in good time.”

\--

They were all herded into the center of room, and the lights were brought up a little. Amy walked up to the mic to give a short toast. “I’d like to thank everyone for coming,” she announced. “I can see we’re all having a great time, so I’ll keep this short.” She scanned the crowd, and tucked her hair behind her ears. “My name is Amy Santiago, I’m the script supervisor here at Romantic Stylez, and I would just like to congratulate everyone. You’ve all worked so hard, and I am truly proud of what we done.” She leaned forward. “To us!”

The audience applauded, and Amy stepped down, allowing someone else to take her place in front of the mic. 

Amy quickly found the two of them.

“Good job, Ames,” said Gina. “That was truly boring.”

Amy rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Why do I feel like you had something to do with Norm Scully telling me that there was a, quote, “pretty girl with Rosa who bribed him with hamburger?” He told me he stood his ground, but that it was difficult.”

“Okay,” said Gina, “First, it is offensive that you would assume it was me, and second, he folded like a lawn chair.”

Amy sighed. “Of course he did.”

“You should go find Jake,” interrupted Rosa. “I’ll make sure Gina doesn’t offer meat to any more millionaires.”

“Like you can stop me.”

Amy smiled, relieved. “Thanks. I’ll text you guys when we’re leaving.”

“Right,” said Rosa. After Amy had power-walked away, she turned and said, “you wanna get out of here? I don’t feel like listening to ten thousand more speeches.”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

\--

They wound up in a booth in a diner close to the party. It was casual and well-lit, so that sitting there at midnight in a sweaty ball gown seemed like the most fun Gina had had in ages. She looked across the table at a laughing Rosa. It probably was.

“So,” started Rosa, through a mouthful of pie, “were you really trying to impress me?”

Gina looked up from her waffles. (Breakfast food late at night was a luxury fit for the most bejeweled of kings and queens.) “Huh?”

“To Scully. You said you were trying to impress a girl. Were you talking about Amy, or?”

“I try to impress everybody, always,” said Gina. “It’s usually pretty easy.”

Rosa smirked.

“But--” Gina stopped. “Speaking of my chit,” she said instead, “do you want to know what you owe me?”

Rosa swallowed. “Yeah?”

Gina pressed her ankle to Rosa’s under the table. “I would like you and your scariest leather jacket to pretend to be my bodyguard,” she said. “So like, we can go to the airport and you’ll be like, “It’s not safe!” And I’ll be like, “Please, Georgette! I know there have been three attempts on my life, but if that’s the risk of being knighted, I’ll take it.”” She threw herself dramatically across the table.

Rosa smiled, looking down at the table. “Sure, I could do that.”

Gina sat up and said casually, “And if you wanted we could totally make out afterwards.”

That time Rosa was silent. She took a breath and held it. “This was a mistake,” she said finally. “I’m sorry. I can’t do it.” She started digging in her purse for her wallet. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I should go--”

Gina placed a hand on her wrist. 

Rosa stopped and looked at her. 

“Come on, Rosa. Scared of commitment? That seems a little stereotypical.”

“I have a boyfriend.”

Gina felt like the air had been let out of her. Like someone had come right up to her and poked her with a pen until she was completely deflated. She pulled back her hand and did her best to look disaffected. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” said Rosa, not meeting Gina’s eyes. “His name is Marcus.”

“Gotcha. That’s -- Fine. Whatever." She leaned back in the booth. "You think you and your beautiful hair are breaking my heart?”

“Your insults need work.”

“Well, _you_ need to work on not flirting with pretty strangers, but you don't see me complaining.”

Rosa raised an eyebrow. “Really? I wasn’t trying to -- I thought we were just friends, Gina. I haven’t been _leading you on_.”

“Please.” In a mocking voice, she said, “ _Were you really trying to impress me, Gina?_ ”

“I don’t talk like that.” Rosa pulled out her phone and typed something. “Here. I’m calling an uber. You go home with Jake and Amy. Sorry for --” She shrugged. “Whatever you think I did.”

\--

Gina was leaning against the car and staring at the blank sky when Jake and Amy walked out. They were laughing and holding hands.

“Hey,” said Jake, “where’s Rosa?”

Gina kicked off and took a meandering step closer to them, looking at the ground. “I think she and I broke up.”

\--

Gina walked to work the next morning and didn’t even glance toward the flower shop.

Just like that, they were strangers again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's at this point that I should direct you to the "angst with a happy ending" tag.
> 
> Chapter title from "Samson" by Regina Spektor.


	6. You're Like a Big Parade Through Town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _You're like a party / Somebody threw me / You taste like birthday / You look like New Year's_
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> I'm back, y'all.

Gina put her all into every tattoo. She poured her heart and soul into every design, agonized over color and line, and until recently, she had thought her focus and control were pretty good, too.

As it turned out, sitting next to Jake babbling about how good things were going with Amy kicked her concentration into overdrive. She vaguely considered buying death metal to play over the stereo when he wasn’t there. Same principle. Just another thing to tune out.

“Gina?”

She flinched, stopping momentarily. “Yes?”

“You’re not listening.”

She gasped, looking up and meeting his eyes. “Jake, I hang on every word you say.”

He snorted. “So you do want to come to Amy’s apartment-warming party?”

Gina ducked her head down, starting up the needle again. “...Maybe.”

Jake tutted. “If a certain someone isn’t there?”

“Why, Jake, I’m sure I’ve no idea who you mean.”

He gestured pleadingly. “Just talk to her, Gina, come on! You two got along so well.”

“First of all, I still don’t know who you’re talking about. Second of all, I _never_ forgive betrayal.”

He stood up. “Look, I’ll ask Amy, okay? And if Rosa won’t be there, you have to come. She misses you.”

“Fine. But if you Parent Trap me, I’m leaving.”

“Deal.”

\--

So they totally Parent Trap her.

What other explanation could there be for Gina’s lovely evening -- enjoying a drink, making fun of the grandmother-y decor of Amy’s apartment -- being interrupted by the sight of a familiar shock of black hair? But no, sure, Rosa had a “work thing.”

Gina narrowed her eyes. It looked like the evening was going to turn into a game of hide-and-seek. It wasn’t the most fun, but she could manage. She would be freaking invisible.

\--

“Gina!” cried Jake, rushing to her spot in the center of Amy’s floral-patterned living room. “You’ve got to see this.”

Gina glanced around instinctually. “No, Jake. Nope. Not today, Satan.”

He gave her a weird look. “What?”

“I know you’re going to pull me into the kitchen to see Amy’s… butter knives or something, and then boom! It’s Rosa. What a coincidence. And oh, look, here’s a wedding chapel we casually built out of people’s discarded bread crusts.”

“What? Geez, you think we have way more free time than we do.”

“So not the point, Jake! I’m just not going, okay? I don’t want to see her.”

A voice came from behind Gina. “I thought you’d say that!”

She whirled around to find Amy, looking like she’d just made a murder accusation in an old study of an old time-y mansion.

“What kind of coordinated, spy maneuvering is this?!” Gina screeched, because that was all she could do. She couldn’t move an inch, or the trace of black at the corner of her vision would bloom into a whole person. 

“We’ll… leave you two alone,” said Amy, ducking around Gina, grabbing Jake’s hand and leading him back to the party.

“Hey,” said Rosa, stepping right in front of Gina. And just like that, the illusion was broken. Gina could no longer pretend Rosa didn’t exist.

She couldn’t even pretend Rosa had let herself go since they had last spoken. Rosa was gorgeous, dressed for the party, her hair artfully pinned, a gold necklace dipping low across her collarbone. That wasn’t the part that made Gina angriest, that settled a stone in her stomach. 

Rosa looked just like Rosa. Her arms were crossed. Her face was cagey, closed-off, uncomfortable. It hurt somehow, not only to see her again, but to think that Rosa had just kept on being Rosa without her. Gina had left and Rosa’s world had kept spinning. And there were people who had gotten to see her everyday.

“We don’t have to talk,” Rosa said, looking at the floor. “I don’t know. Amy threatened to torch my leather jacket if I didn’t follow her.”

Gina half-smiled at that.

She licked her lips. She took a breath. “You’re dead to me,” she said. She saw Rosa take a sharp intake of breath, and it almost gave her pause. She swallowed and added, “But I can talk to ghosts, so.”

Rosa nodded. “Good. That’s -- good. Do you want to go outside?”

Gina nodded, and they walked by the crowds of people, the table of food, the couches. Gina didn’t register any of it. Her eyes were focused on Rosa’s silhouette as she lead the way. Talking to Rosa again, the loom of more words, made her nervous, light-headed. Strangely, Rosa herself served as an anchor. There was still something in Gina that trusted her, that didn’t think Rosa would let her fall. 

Gina didn’t need Rosa to save her. She could do that herself. But she still expected Rosa to be there after, to sit with her in silence while she reflected on the adventure.

Rosa shot her an almost apologetic look as the marched down the flights of stairs. Gina smiled back.

The sun was setting outside, the sky dyed pink, traced with yellow clouds. The air was warm and heavy. There wasn’t any grass to speak of, but it still felt like summer. Something about the gravity on the fence opposite the building reminded them both of home.

They sat down at the curb, feet planted in the street. Rosa let down her hair, let it fall around her face as usual. Gina set her hands on the pavement and leaned back, waiting.

“I’m not good this,” Rosa said, finally. “Sorry.”

“It’s cool,” said Gina.

They were silent for a moment. Some punk song Gina couldn’t name sounded vaguely from down the street.

Finally, Gina said, “Can I just ask you a question?”

Rosa stiffened. “Depends.”

“Were you ever into me? I mean, was I just an idiot?”

It seemed to take Rosa an eternity to answer. Finally, she seemed to settle on an answer, and said slowly, “I liked you.”

Gina’s heart leapt, but she didn’t let herself smile, instead forcing a disinterested look. She looked down, tracing the cracks on the sidewalk. “You did?”

Rosa stared at her lap. “Look,” she said, “I wasn’t sure, okay? I mean, I knew… something, but everything with Marcus… I wasn’t sure.”

Gina closed her eyes, tilted her face up to the sun’s rays. “And then?”

Rosa bit her lip. “And then he asked me to marry him.”

Gina eyes snapped open. Her stomach felt it was plummeting into the concrete. “And?”

“And…” said Rosa, shrugging. “I said no.”

Gina swallowed, filled in the blank. “Because of me.”

Rosa shook her head. “Not all you. I mean, I’m not ready to be married. But --” She paused. “When I thought about it, and like... being married, I realized that it meant things with you, whatever they were, would be over. And I realized… I was just kind of waiting, expecting you to show up again.”

Gina let herself smile, then, a grin spreading over her face. She rocked there for a moment, before saying suddenly, “Oh my god. I knew you were secretly a destiny girl.” She folded her hands over her chest, looked into Rosa’s eyes, raised her voice an octave. “Our paths weren’t done crossing. The stars had more in store for us.”

Rosa scoffed. “I am _not_ a destiny girl.”

“Please.”

“...But I could be.”

Gina snorted. Then, she let her hand graze Rosa’s. “You want some convincing?”

“Something like that. What’s my aura saying now?”

Gina paused thoughtfully. “It’s seems to be saying… Wow, your aura is awfully forward.”

Rosa laughed.

Gina joined her before getting it together and saying, “Wow, I am getting a lot of energy here. I’m seeing… you want to kiss me now? Does that sound familiar?”

Rosa rolled her eyes. “Maybe a little.”

Then, Rosa leaned in. Her breath was warm on Gina’s skin. The late-summer heat seeped into Gina’s bones, making her feel invincible. The whole world was warm and soft. Well, Rosa was, her hair under Gina’s fingertips, her tongue strumming in and out of Gina’s mouth. The rest of the world just melted away.

They kissed until the sun had finally sunk behind the last building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The one true tragedy of this fic (other then basically being plotted as I went along) is that I started it too soon to include Adrien Pimento.
> 
> Chapter title and opening lyric from "The Party" by Regina Spektor. Optional listening: Summer in the City. Except that, ya know, that song is sad.


	7. Suppose We Never Fell in Love

There was no red ribbon paired with comically large scissors. There were no sale fliers with half-priced bouquets and discounted seedlings. There was no party at all.

There was just work. Inventory had to shift, walls had to be re-painted, new staff had to be hired. 

Then, when everything almost felt pointless, there was a brand-new store. Not far away, just across the street. But the glass glittered like new, and the sign’s colors had never been as vibrant. The store was twice as big, with more hours, and the room was more beautiful than ever, packed with flowers, big and small, colorful and fragrant.

There was no grand opening, no fanfare but the click of the lock as it unlatched. But there was an opening. There was the gathering of a few friends, laughing, and talking, and reminiscing.

Gina walked around the perimeter, dragging a finger along the counter. “It’s gonna be weird having you so close” she said, stepping in front of Rosa. “Oh, Ro, what if we get bored of each other?”

Rosa smiled fondly. “I’ve moved about three yards closer to your store, dummy.”

“My personal space,” Gina sighed, “gone!”

“Okay, you two,” said Amy, laughter in her voice.

Rosa rolled her eyes. “What did I even invite you guys here for? This many couples is making my store look cutesy or something.”

“Well, I think your store is lovely,” said Charles. He amended quickly, “Or threatening. You know, all the thorns and stuff.”

“Yes,” said Genevieve, nodding seriously, “very threatening.”

Rosa rolled her eyes. After a moment, she said, “I told Gina doing this was dumb. My store’s not that interesting.”

“Oh,” said Amy, “come on, Rosa. We’re all _very_ proud…”

“Exactly,” said Jake, “think about it. Without your store, I wouldn’t know Amy, and you wouldn’t know Gina.”

Rosa smiled slightly, then looked down quickly. “Whatever. We can at least get some food or something.”

They took a moment, deliberated. Charles suggested Terry’s Yogurt down the street. Rosa went to turn the ‘open’ sign to ‘closed.’ “Give me a minute to lock up.”

Just as Gina went to step out with the rest of them, Rosa reached out and grabbed her arm. “Hold up a minute.”

Gina turned. “What?”

Rosa ducked behind the counter. “I have a present for you.”

Gina clapped her hands. “Aw, material possessions. You _do_ know the way to my heart.”

Rosa knelt and rummaged under the counter. She straightened up with a cactus, green, with short red spikes, clumped together almost like flowers.

Gina looked down at it, and her heart swelled. “Babe, it’s perfect.”

Rosa almost blushed. “You still never water your other plants,” she said brusquely. “Now quick. Flirt with me over this counter so we can break it in.”

Gina leaned forward, spreading her hands over the cool plastic. “Have I seen you around here before?” she asked.

Rosa shrugged. “Maybe. Think I’d remember a pretty face like yours.”

“Name’s Gina.”

“Rosa.”

Gina feigned shock. “What a coincidence!” She jumped up, turned her left shoulder toward Rosa, and pulled down her sleeve so that Rosa could see the rose blooming across her skin.

( _“I thought floral tattoos were cliche.”_

_“I certainly don’t remember saying that. And if I ever did, then clearly this wouldn’t count. Is anything about you cliche?”_

_“Before you?” Rosa groaned. “Nothing. Now? It’s like… I don’t know. 27 Dresses.”_

_Gina rolled her eyes. “Because_ you’ve _seen 27 Dresses.”_

 _Rosa shrugged, leaned in to kiss her. “Doesn’t deserve the hate.”_ )

“That’s a lovely tattoo,” Rosa commented. “It looks good on you. You look good. Your shoulder in particular.”

Gina laughed. “You never were as good at this.”

A smile crept onto Rosa’s face. “You like me anyway.”

“Sure do.”

Rosa walked around the counter. She took Gina’s hand in hers and lifted it up, almost like they were dancing.

( _“Hey, Gina?” Rosa was driving, her eyes fixed on the road ahead._

_Gina looked up from her nails. “Yeah, babe?”_

_“I -- nothing.”_

_“You sure?”_

_“Or I love you. Something like that.”_

_Gina grinned, but tried to keep a straight face. “I love you, too. Or something.”_ )

“Or something,” Gina whispered.

“Or something,” Rosa repeated.

It felt like a promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading guys! 
> 
> I feel kinda shrug emoji about this fic as a whole... but this is the first multi-chaptered fic I've ever finished, so! I'll hone my skills and be back. The fandom may be long dead by then, but this ship will have its 100k fic eventually.
> 
> Come talk to me about stuff at selenacatherinemeyer on tumblr. I live there.
> 
> Chapter title from "Fidelity" by Regina Spektor.


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